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Poor diet is the leading cause of premature death and chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. For people with limited financial resources and/or education, managing diet-related chronic diseases can be difficult and can lead to increased hospitalizations and higher healthcare costs. Produce prescriptions are one promising “food is medicine” approach to healthcare and can improve health equity by equipping patients with low incomes with financial and educational resources to purchase and learn about fresh fruits and vegetables.
Produce Rx is a medical treatment or preventative service for patients with diet-related health risks and challenges accessing nutritious foods. Healthcare providers refer eligible patients to the program, and prescriptions for fruits and vegetables are fulfilled through food retail or other food access sites. Produce Rx programs are designed to improve healthcare outcomes, optimize medical spending, and increase patient engagement and satisfaction.
SWPRx is a six-month program that pairs nutrition education, behavior change support, and prescriptions for fruits and vegetables. It takes a whole-system approach, combining medical prescriptions with health education and fresh food access. The program is supported by partners in health, food access and distribution, and research.
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Since 2015, LEAP has worked closely with community partners to research, design, implement and evaluate a produce prescription program in Roanoke. In the initial 2015 program pilot, medical providers enrolled patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes to participate as a cohort. The cohort met weekly for nutrition/health education classes and used “Rx vouchers” to shop at LEAP’s Mobile Market, set-up on site.
Over the past three years, LEAP and community partners redesigned, re-piloted, and modified the Rx program. The new program expanded voucher redemptions beyond the LEAP Mobile Market to include other farmers markets and community based food stores in Roanoke.
In 2024, a group of partners came together to form SWPRx and were awarded a highly competitive three-year federal research grant through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). SWPRx partners include Carilion Clinic, Virginia Fresh Match, Feeding Southwest Virginia, Radford University, and LEAP. The expanded launch of SWPRx will start in April 2025 and includes in-person and virtual cohorts in Roanoke and Floyd with plans to expand to Radford and Franklin County in the following years.
Throughout the 6-month program, participants receive nutrition education and behavior change support to complement their produce prescription. Carilion Clinic Community Health Educators provide in-person and virtual classes and use evidence-based curricula including Full Plate Living and Body Connection.
To be eligible for this program, adult patients must receive Medicaid and have one of the following: elevated blood pressure, prediabetes or diabetes. Eligible patients must be referred by their healthcare provider.
SWPRx participants can use their “Fresh Produce Coupons” at any food outlets where the program is offered. These outlets include farmers markets, mobile markets, farm-direct stores (online and in-person), and grocery stores (full-format and limited selection). Click the “Locations” button below to see all the locations approved to accept Fresh Produce Coupons.
Interested in becoming an approved location to accept Fresh Produce Coupons? All stores or markets must sell fruits and vegetables and be able to track coupon redemptions. The program gives preference to locations that accept SNAP/EBT, are rooted in the community, and purchase produce from local farmers.
If you are interested in becoming an approved location to accept Fresh Produce Coupons, reach out to Kelly Key at kelly@leapforlocalfood.org.
Throughout the 3-year grant, the program will expand to include Carilion Clinic locations in Roanoke, Floyd, Franklin and Radford and additional health clinics in these areas. By 2027, the SWPRx aims to have the Produce Rx program in 4 communities, patient enrollment at 8–10 clinics, and Fresh Produce Coupons that can be used at 15-18 food outlets.
SWPRx continues to work with regional, statewide, and national partners to plan and advocate for policy and sustainable funding and/or reimbursement mechanisms to support Produce Rx programs.